The 1980s were a golden era for IRON MAIDEN, but the 90s saw significant lineup changes. Adrian Smith departed in 1990, followed by Bruce Dickinson three years later. Janick Gers and Blaze Bayley replaced them, joining Steve Harris, Dave Murray, and Nicko McBrain. This lineup produced The X Factor and Virtual XI, but Bayley struggled to match Dickinson‘s presence, particularly live.
To address this, Harris brought Dickinson back, but surprisingly, Smith also returned. Instead of dismissing Gers, MAIDEN became a six-piece, featuring three guitarists. This reunion thrilled fans, but not everyone in the band was initially pleased with the change.
“I’ve got to be honest with you – when I was first told, I was sitting in a sake bar in Roppongi, Japan, with Rod [Smallwood, MAIDEN’s longtime manager] and Janick,” Nicko said during an interview with Classic Rock back in 2018. “And Rod turned round and told me that Adrian was coming back with Bruce, what did I think about it? And I went: ‘F**k me.’ I said: ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea.’”
Nicko admitted that the prospect of MAIDEN becoming a six-piece deeply unsettled him, so much so that he considered quitting the band.
“And I said, ‘We’re traditionally a two-guitar band. Three guitars? I don’t get that. I’ll step down.’ And Rod said, ‘No, you won’t. You’re not going anywhere, mate.’”
To conclude, Nicko recounted the humorous remark he made to Rod Smallwood, jokingly complaining about the extra expenses of having another guitarist in the band.
“Then I looked at Rod – and this is the God’s honest truth – and I said, ‘By the way, are you going to cut your commission down?’ And he said, ‘What the f**k do you mean, cut me bloody commission down?’
“And I said, ‘Well, there’s six of us in the band to be paid now.’ He just looked at me: ‘F**king typical drummer!’”
Despite his initial reservations, Nicko remained with IRON MAIDEN, contributing to six more albums and touring extensively worldwide. In December 2024, he announced his departure from the band.
The 72-year-old British musician officially announced his retirement on December 7 via a statement on MAIDEN‘s website and social media channels. He confirmed that the concert at Allianz Parque in São Paulo would be his last with the legendary heavy metal group.
Although stepping away from touring, McBrain assured fans he will remain closely connected to IRON MAIDEN, contributing to various projects with the band while also focusing on personal endeavors and his ongoing business ventures.
On December 8, IRON MAIDEN introduced Simon Dawson as their new touring drummer. Dawson, a seasoned session drummer, is also a longtime collaborator of Steve Harris in BRITISH LION.
Reeder, the visionary behind Metal Addicts, has transformed his lifelong passion for metal into a thriving online community for metal aficionados. As a fervent devotee of black metal, Reeder is captivated by its dark, atmospheric, and often unorthodox soundscapes.